Most candidates running self-funded campaigns
Published 12:02 am Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Local candidates on the ballot in June are mostly spending their own money in their quests to be elected, campaign finance reports filed to date show.
The five candidates in the revenue commissioner’s race have reported spending a total of $43,086.
• Chuck Patterson has spent $16,210. His $19,200 in contributions came in the form of loans from Carrie S. Patterson.
• Meredith Peters has reported spending $11,063 to date. Her campaign has received $4,600 in contributions from family members, and $3,500 in loans from her mother and herself.
• Gwen Kelley has reported spending a total of $9,972. Kelley also has self-financed almost all of her campaign.
• Lorene McCart reported spending $4,338. Her $5,584 in campaign funds came from her husband.
• Cindy Cook spent $1,503 on her campaign in the two months for which reports were available. Her reported $1,575 in contributions came from herself and a $500 loan from Jim Kyzar.
Sheriff’s race
Challenger Chris Byrd has outspent incumbent Dennis Meeks by $2,389, according to campaign finance reports on file with the secretary of state’s office.
• Byrd has spent $9,842. He has put $6,050 into his campaign; received $1,000 from Judy Harris of Andalusia, and received $1,500 from Kimberly Powell. He had $550 in other itemized contributions and $1,240 in non-itemized cash contributions.
• Meeks has reported spending $7,453.
The incumbent had a beginning balance of $5,549 in his campaign account, and is the exception in that he has reported no contributions to his account. Of the $10,350 he was reported receiving, he received $500 from Nathaniel Waller of Mobile; $500 from Lewis Rushton of Montgomery; $500 from Alison Stave of Florala; $1,000 from Keith Lewis of Crestview; $1,000 from LBB, LCC of Opp; $2,000 from Filtration Manufacturing in Andalusia; $1,000 from Palmer and Sons; and several contributions of $500 each from Mike Weeks, Seth Hammett and Gary Smith, all of Andalusia, and Horace Horn of Greenville.
Coroner’s race
Challenger Eddie Rowell has spent $4,327, most of which he and family members provided his own campaign. He also received a $500 contribution from Ward Farms in Dozier. In his most recent filing, he reported having 49 cents left in his account.
Incumbent Norman Hobson reported spending $284.50.